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Everyone loves getting great deals especially around the holidays so it’s no wonder why “Black Friday”, the biggest shopping day of the year, is so popular. However, if you are anything like myself, you refuse to wake up at 3 am to stand in line outside a store, only to go inside and hopefully find what you are looking for, then wait another 3 hours in line just to check out simply to get a good deal. However, with every problem there is a solution. This stressful brick-and-mortar store experience, along with the continued growth of E-commerce, has created a much more efficient way to shop and still reap the benefits of the after-Thanksgiving sales…. Cyber Monday.

The Monday after Thanksgiving, a.k.a. Cyber Monday, is considered to be one of the least productive work days for office workers all over the country (3-day turkey binge eating+Monday morning at the office+huge online store discounts= low productivity). Why waste your entire Friday fighting for parking spaces and waiting in lines when you can make a few clicks Monday morning at the office and save just as much money.

Now, you might think this “Cyber Monday” is just for stores that sell toys, clothes, electronics, and other popular gift items, but you would be incorrect in your assumptions. Just because Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products‘ online store doesn’t offer any 60″ LCD TV’s, kitchen appliances, or video games doesn’t mean we don’t get down with the Cyber Monday Madness!

To celebrate this post-holiday shopping fiasco, we are excited to announce that we will be offering 15% off your entire purchase on our online store. This discount is only valid for Monday November 28, 2011. Just enter the coupon code “15%OFF” in the coupon code section on the checkout page to receive the discount. You still must reach the $25 order minimum after the discount is applied, but with these savings I am sure that won’t be a problem. Just try not to max out your credit card.

So this year, in stead of going out and standing in line for 5 hours at Home Depot to get some shims or dowel rods, wait until Monday and then click on over to The Store at Cincinnati Dowel to pick up all the wood products you need at jaw-dropping prices. Just don’t let your boss see you!

Oh, and if you don’t have any need for wood dowels, plugs, or joinery items, but still want to capitlaize on some great savings at CDWP, check out our Cedar Toy Block Sets. They are American-made and make great Christmas gifts for children of all ages.

So now that Fall has officially begun (it was Sept 23rd for those of you who pay no attention to the official seasonal calender), it is time to really get into all the great things that accompany this wonderful time of year. In my opinion, fall is the best season. It is not rainy like Spring, or scorching hot like summer, or frigid cold like winter. Fall has great temperatures and lets not forget…FOOTBALL! Thanks to all the marketing gurus out there, you can watch either NFL or college football pretty much every day of the week! Hallelujah! But before you get too excited and leave your computer for the nearest bar or cable-ready TV, allow me to finish because what I have to say will undoubtedly change your course of action.

In addition to the great weather, turning leaves, and of course, the great all-American sport of football, fall brings another great thing. Campfires. Whether its a small contained fire on your back patio or a gargantuan Ohio-State-Buckeye-after-a-loss bonfire, fall is the perfect time. Not too hot to sit by some burning logs and not to cold that you have to be on top of the flames. Now you are probably wondering how this pertains to Cincinnati Dowel. Well, not only do we also love Fall and campfires(away from our factory of course), but we have recently released a new product that is sure to heat up your campfire experience.

We now offer…Grilling Sticks! (Applause). Now when you are sitting out by the fire with friends and family you can whip out a pack of our beautiful 1/4″ x 30″ blunt-pointed wooden Grilling Sticks to grill hot dogs, roast marshmallows, or cook kabobs. They come in packages of 4, but depending on how big your fire is or how many friends you have, you might want to purchase several packs (I recommend an even 20 packs). If you are feeling ambitions and would like to order a full pallet worth, just give me a call and we can work something out.

Okay, enough talking about it, just click to The Store at Cincinnati Dowel and order a few packs before halftime is over and we will get them shipped to your residence as soon as possible.

 There is no “I” in “Team”, but there is an “I” in “Grilling Sticks“, three of them actually.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, hold the press!! The Store at Cincinnati Dowel now offers… SHIMS! No need to keep looking for that perfect gift because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a nice pack of beautiful 7-3/8″ Cedar Shims? While I can’t say that we offer a complete line of shims, we certainly offer the top items that will surely meet your shimming needs.

To start off this All-Star lineup, we begin with the most poplar 1-3/8″ x 7-3/8″ Pine Shims which come in 14 piece packs and taper from 5/16″ to 1/32″. These shims have thousands of uses in many areas such as crafting, construction, household, and remodeling. They are kiln-dried which makes them easy to break or snap.

The sororal (or dizygotic) twin of the Pine Shim is the 1-1/2″ x 7-3/8″ Cedar Shim. Although they are the same size, these shims are certainly not identical. For a slightly higher price, the Cedar Shims will last a little longer because they contain natural oils to protect against decay and insects. They also have a wonderful aromoa if you choose to hide them in your sock drawers.

The third Shim we carry is slightly smaller than the two previous. The 1-3/8″ x 5-7/8″ Premium Pine Shim has all of the features of its larger brother, but is slightly smaller for those projects where a shorter shim will work just fine.

Batting cleanup is the big dog; the A-Rod of Shims.  Our 1-1/2″ x 14-1/2″ Cedar Shim is for big projects. This Professional Quality Shim is sturdy and reliable for a variety of contractor and household tasks. They come in bundles of 36 and taper from 3/8″ to 1/8″.

Well there you have it. The world will never be the same. I mean, it’s one thing to make top quality dowels in 10 different species, or to offer a list of craft and toy parts that’s longer than Santa’s Naughty List, but to offer all of that plus 100′s of other products AND a line of Shims?! I mean, I work here and I can barely keep my composure.

All I have to say is that you should definitely check out these new products, and keep in mind, all orders over $40 include Free Shipping!

Just when you thought that there might not ever be another Cincinnati Dowel blog post…BAM! Christmas came early! Business has really been picking up recently and unfortunately, that means writing posts has taken to the backseat of this wild ride. However, when I caught wind of this unique dowel application from one of our customers, I had to share it with the world (or at least the small handful of CDWP followers that we have). Growing up I was always a fan of building things. I had toy blocks, Legos, Erector sets, Kenex, Lincoln Logs, and probably a few other similar sets along the way. I loved constructing things and the older I got, the larger and more complex my creations became. I don’t want to say I grew out of that phase, because I still love getting those creative juices flowing and building things, but as the years progressed, the free time to partake in such activities drastically decreased. While I can’t quite say that this amazing usage for dowels has moved me to start building things again, I will say that it is inspiring and quite fascinating. Watch the video below and see for yourself!

So what it is you ask? Well, basically it is a giant geodesic dome made of dowels. I like to think of it as a mini Epcot Center. Although it looks very simple, there is definitely more than meets the eye. For example, did you notice the impeccable quality of birch dowels that they used?! I cant imagine where on Earth one could find such breathtaking dowels like that!! If only there was an online store based out of Cincinnati that offered Dowel and Wood Products…

All jokes aside, if you would like more information or details on how to acquire this amazing kit, you can check out EFFALO’s website at the following link:

http://domekit.cc/

Until next time, stay doweling my friends…

As we head into March, Spring is finally starting to show face and attempt to kick Old Man Winter to the curb, although he is putting up quite a fight. Here in Cincinnati we get a few wonderful days in the upper 60′s, but then its right back to the frigid 20′s. Such is life.

Regardless, if you haven’t turned the seasonal corner yet, depending your geographical location, sunshine, warm weather, and fresh cut grass are just around the bend, so get out your shorts and golf clubs because it’s going to be a good time! Unless of course you live in northern Russia or the Yukon Territory, which in that case I have no good news for you and you might as well just start preparing for next winter.

As much as I’d love to continue to talk about the glorious upcoming weather, it’s time to get into the delicious red meat of this magnificent post. If you were “lucky” enough to receive snow during the winter, which includes around 90% of the country, then you might have found yourself cursing, giving hand gestures, or possibly even throwing rocks at the very attentive snow plow guy who “unintentionally” dismantled your mailbox and post with a 2,000 pound steel shovel attached to a monsterous Ford F-450. If this tragic event did indeed happen to you then you are in luck. Cincinnati Dowel is thrilled to announce two ground breaking new products: The Cedar Mailbox and The No-Dig Cedar Mailbox Post! I just made your month didn’t I? Thought so.

Both the CedarBox and CedarPost are handmade in the U.S.A. from Aromatic Red Cedar. The CedarBox is a rustproof poly mailbox covered with a naturally weather resistant red cedar cover. It is fully assembled and ready to install with pre-drilled holes for mounting (hardware included).

To complete the set, we also offer the No-Dig CedarPost which is a mailbox post kit to match the CedarBox. Also made of Aromatic Red Cedar, the CedarPost kit comes with everything you need to effortlessly install your new mailbox. No digging necessary! All you have to do is hammer the metal C-beam into the ground, attach the cedar post to the metal beam, screw on the back board, and then screw in the mailbox stand on top.

This is a great way to enhance the aesthetics of your home without investing a lot of time or money! And if you happen to be one of those people who dug a post hole all the way to the Earth’s mantle and poured in enough concrete to withstand everything from a front-on collision with a jet-engine-powered bulldozer to the apocalypse, then you’re in luck because these items are sold separately. So leave your bomb-proof post as-is, and just simply replace the old faded rusty actual mailbox with a new beautiful CedarBox.

Now I would ask you to take a picture of yourself standing next to your new cedar mailbox and post it on our blog, but I know no one will do that so I will end this simply by saying that if you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products…. changing the world, one mailbox at a time.

It’s been several weeks since my last post and I apologize to anyone out there that follows this blog everyday hoping for some more wisdom and breathtaking information surrounding the world of hardwood dowels. This is a new year and we have some fascinating new products on the horizon, so stay tuned. Unfortunately for you, I don’t have any new products or crazy dowel uses to share with you today, but rather a useful alternative to a product many of you probably already own.

As I am sure none of you picked up from the name of our company, we are located in Cincinnati, which has been known to get a decent amount of snowfall throughout the winter. While it is certainly nothing compared to what our friends to the north get, it is still enough to become annoying. I loved snow when I was a kid because if we got enough, it meant no school. However, now that the possibility of  snow days has long passed, snow is more of a nuisance.  Anyway, it is still something we have to deal with and this last weekend we had to deal with it a lot. We got several inches on Friday, so on Saturday I decided to visit my parents and help them shovel their driveway. I wasn’t 5 minutes into this arctic activity when the snow shovel handle snapped in half. Cheap metal from….. you guess it, China, not surprised. I tried using a regular shovel, but that was so inefficient, I had to put the shoveling on hold until a new tool was acquired. So I got in my car and slipped and slided all the way to the local hardware store and picked up a new snow shovel, but this time I got a Made in the USA one with a wooden handle. When I got home I was amazed at how much weight this thing could handle, no amount of ice or snow was too much!  All of the neighbors came out to watch me power through the snow that covered my parents’ 800 ft driveway in less than 5 minutes! They were all s0 amazed at this wooden dowel with a scoop that I possessed and they all immediately rushed out and bought one for themselves. True story.

Ok, so maybe that story wasn’t 100% accurate, but that’s not the point. The point is that Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products offers replacement dowel handles for brooms or shovels. So if your cheap flimsy metal handle breaks but you are very much attached to the scoop (no pun intended), give us a call and we will get you outfitted with a replacement handle that will have you sweeping and shoveling for decades to come.

What is that wonderful aroma coming from the kids room? And why are they so quiet? Well obviously someone got a Cedar Toy Block Set from Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products for Christmas!!

All jokes aside, Cincinnati Dowel is exited to announce the release of another great line of products just in time for the holidays! The Cedar Toy Block Sets are great gift ideas for any child or grandchild. They are hand-made in the USA out of Red Aromatic Cedar and are currently available in 50 and 100 piece sets. Each Cedar Toy Block Set contains 12 different sizes of blocks which are perfect for stimulating the creative minds of children ages 3 and up!

I for one loved to play with blocks and build all kinds of things when I was a little kid. Sure there are video games, TVs, and a million other electronic devices that occupy the attention span of little kids these days, but there is still no replacement for some hands on creative activities. These block sets contain various sizes of basic shapes which allow for an infinite amount of possible things to create. Plus, when you child or grandchild grows up and has moved on from playing with these amazing toy blocks, you can put them all over your house so you can continue to enjoy that wonderful cedar aroma!

You can check out the new Cedar Toy Block Sets on our online store, and if (or should I say when) you get a set, feel free to post pictures of the different creations your child or grandchild came up with.

In the words of the talented singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, “The times they are a-changin”. Energy efficient matchbox cars are in, gas guzzling tanks are out (moment of silence for the Hummer which was discontinued earlier this year……..). Technology is expanding exponentially. We now have access to vast amounts of information, news, music, and videos all with the touch of a button, or slide of a finger.  Netbooks, laptops, smartphones; All of these allow us to constantly be  in touch with the rest of the world 24/7

With that being said, Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products can now be found and followed on Facebook and Twitter. I will admit, although I found Facebook to be very helpful in regards to social networking, I was never a big fan of Twitter. After reading some articles and talking with friends who work for different companies in various industries, I realized it was a great way to be more connected with customers and get the word out for special promotions, discounts, or just noteworthy information regarding a company. So I caved in and set up an account. Welcome to the 21st century.

So, if you have one or both of these very popular social networking accounts, look us up, or I guess the proper terminology would be “like” or “follow” us. And if you don’t have an account for either, I would suggests that you try it out.  While I am a strong believer that there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction, online communication can be a convenient and easy way to stay current with friends, family, or even Cincinnati Dowel!

For a limited time, we are offering 10% off everything on our online store when you “like” us on Facebook. To receive the coupon code and become a follower of Cincinnati Dowel & Wood Products on Facebook, click here.

Whoever said dowels are boring is just lacking in creativity. In previous posts I have tried to find unusual uses and fun things to do with dowel rods. We have received some interesting feedback, but I have come across a fun game that will surely have you occupied for hours possibly even days or weeks.

Before I go into details and explain this riveting dowel rod activity, let me give you a little background as to how the idea to post this came about. When I was a young energetic drive-my-parents-crazy boy I was given this game which involved some dowels. I played with it for months until somehow it got lost on a camping trip. I tried to “permanently borrow” my sister’s (who had been given one as well) but despite the fact that she hardly ever even played with it, she declined any offer I made. Oh well, I survived. This last weekend I was at a family gathering and of course, I turned the topic of discussion to dowels. We started talking about this dowel game that my sister and I used to have but no one could think of the name.  After several minutes we gave up and I went straight to the once place you can find anything in the world….Google.

Turns out this game goes under several names (Devil Sticks, Mystix, Flower Sticks and Juggling Sticks seem t0 be the most common). It involves taking two dowels (one in each hand) which are called the control sticks and using them to balance and perform tricks with a third longer dowel. This third longer dowel sometimes will have tassels or weights on the ends to help balance. I know this might sound somewhat confusing so below I have added a video demonstration. I do need to make one confession, the guy in the video is exponentially better at this than I ever was.

Ok, so hopefully you found that entertaining and maybe it has even compelled you to make one and become some great juggling dowel stick master. In which case you can check out our online store, get outfitted with some strong heavy duty dowels, and go get practicing. If you are not impressed with that homemade demonstration then take a look at this video, which none the less, explains why they are sometimes called Devil Sticks. Disclaimer: If you are under the age of 12 or are prohibited from playing with fire, you probably should not try this at home, or at least not without some sort of adult supervision.

If you were not impressed with that then unfortunately I am not sure I can provide you with anything else more entertaining and relating to dowels at this point, but I will certainly be on the lookout to find something. If you have any fun or interesting games or activities involving a dowel or anything close to a dowel rod please feel free to make a post. We love getting feedback from our customers!

Well now that the July Note Hanger promotion is over, it’s time for a new post! For all of our customers who received a free Note Hanger with their order, we hope you thoroughly enjoy it, and for those who unfortunately did not have the chance to place an order in July, we have added them to our product line so you can order one and hang it proudly on your fridge. 

In addition to the Note Hanger we have also added a few new products that I think many of you will be equally as excited about……THREAD RACKS!!! That’s right, The Store at Cincinnati Dowel now proudly offers a whole line of thread racks to hang and organize all of your different spools of thread. We have two different styles of racks: rotary racks and standard racks. The rotary racks come in two different sizes (small and large) and sit on a wooden base that acts like a lazy susan to allow them to be placed on a table and spun around to find the desired spool of thread. The Small Rotary Thread Rack holds 80 spools or 40 cones and the Large Rotary Thread Rack hold 120 spools or 60 cones.

Our other line of Thread Racks are the Standard Thread Racks which come in three sizes and have legs that fold out so they can sit on a table They also have keyhole drilled on the back to allow them to be hung on a wall. The Mini Mack Thread Rack hold 30 spools of thread, the Little Mack Thread Rack holds 63 spools, and the Big Mack Thread Rack holds 108 spools.

There are great products for anyone that works with thread. For those customers that don’t sew….. the Standard Thread Racks can also serve as a great way to hang different objects such as keys, earrings, rings, etc. Feel free to look around our store and of course if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.